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BUCKHANNON - Upshur, Barbour, Randolph and Tucker counties have been approved for federal disaster assistance to repair public infrastructure after the deadly flooding of July 21.
President Donald Trump approved the funding for Upshur, Barbour, Randolph, Tucker and seven other counties, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance program.
"I want to thank President Trump and his administration for approving this assistance and continuing to stand with West Virginia as our communities recover," Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in announcing the funding. "Our local emergency managers, first responders and volunteers worked alongside the state and FEMA to document the damage and make the case for this assistance. We will keep working to get resources where they are needed and help these communities rebuild."
Trump also approved Public Assistance for Doddridge, Lewis, Pendleton, Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler and Wetzel counties. Public Assistance provides "federal funding on a cost-share basis for emergency work, debris removal and the repair or replacement of damaged public infrastructure, including roads and utilities," a release from Morrisey’s office stated. "Individual Assistance was previously approved for Lewis, Pleasants, Ritchie and Upshur counties following the July storms."
Individual Assistance can help eligible residents with temporary housing, home repairs and other uninsured or underinsured disaster-related losses. Individual Assistance had been approved for Fayette, Harrison and Kanawha counties following the severe storms and flooding from Aug. 14-18.
FEMA also reaffirmed its initial denial of Individual Assistance for Boone and Logan counties following the June flooding. West Virginia had appealed FEMA's initial decision, seeking federal assistance for the residents affected by those storms.
"We are disappointed by the decision on Boone and Logan counties, but we are not going to stop working for those communities," Morrisey said. "Families there suffered real losses, and we will continue working with state and local partners to identify resources that can help them recover."
Residents of Fayette, Harrison and Kanawha counties who suffered damage from the August storms can apply for assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile app, or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.
Earlier this month, Morrisey announced that the deadline for federal disaster assistance for Upshur and Lewis County residents impacted by the July 21 deadly flooding has been extended to Oct. 17.
Two Upshur residents lost their lives in the July 21 flooding. In Upshur and Lewis counties alone, 33 homes were destroyed, with 91 other homes experiencing major damage, 235 with minor damage, and 182 otherwise impacted.